the princess of wales is recovering following abdominal surgery, the operation a success, remaining in hospitalfor operation a success, remaining in hospital for october fortnight, buckingham palace has announced king charles will visit hospital next week to be treated for an enlarged prostate. iran's foreign minister says houthi attacks on the red sea will only stop when the war ends. translation: if the genocide in gaza stops, then it will lead to the... - the end of other crises and attacks in the region.

rishi sunak faces a crucial vote on his plan to deport asylum seekers to rwanda after two resigned. time for a look at the business news now. we start in china where the latest official figures say the economy grew by 5.2% last year. now that's slightly higher than beijing's target of 5% — but one of the lowest levels in china — outside of the pandemic — for decades. the post lockdown bounce back — for the world's second largest economy — has struggled against a property sector crisis, weak exports and falling prices. coupled with a shrinking population there are growing calls for more government stimulus to help get things moving. joining me now is shirley yu, a seniorfellow at lse who's at the world

economic forum in davos. the official figures, not always believed internationally, how would you describe the current state of the chinese economy? the chinese economy grew _ the chinese economy? the chinese economy grew 5.2%. _ the chinese economy? the chinese economy grew 5.2%. in _ the chinese economy? the chinese economy grew 5.2%. in us - the chinese economy? the chinese economy grew 5.2%. in us dollar i economy grew 5.2%. in us dollar terms the growth rate would certainly be lower. over the whole pandemic and post—pandemic period china has seen... at the end of 2020 the economyjumped across... hundred and 26 trillion, i think china is on track to double the economy from 2020 to 2035, 4.7% growth rate,

there is not much more room to go on there is not much more room to go on the downside but not much impetus on the downside but not much impetus on the upside. the critical task as you pointed out is to identify economic impetus going forward. what pointed out is to identify economic impetus going forward. what further stimulus measures _ impetus going forward. what further stimulus measures might _ impetus going forward. what further stimulus measures might the - stimulus measures might the government there be considering? go through the recent period when the economy has been in trouble to do more to reinvigorate it, not always followed, what more could beijing be considering? followed, what more could bei'ing be considerin: ? ., :: g; considering? looking at 2023 the government _ considering? looking at 2023 the government was _ considering? looking at 2023 the government was actually - considering? looking at 2023 the government was actually rather l government was actually rather restrictive in terms of using fiscal stimulus on the monetary side particularly. this has shifted. on the fiscal said the government is currently contemplating special bonds issued, i trillion, to help

the local government sector. the government has given green light to bypass the 3% fiscal deficit. the monetary side, the fed interest rate, opening more opportunities for charity the more accommodating with monetary policy this year. both monetary policy this year. both monetary and fiscal policy stimulus on the horizon in 2024, i think it is huge impetus.— on the horizon in 2024, i think it is huge impetus. shirley yu, thank ou from is huge impetus. shirley yu, thank you from davos, _ is huge impetus. shirley yu, thank you from davos, from _ is huge impetus. shirley yu, thank you from davos, from lse. - to the uk now where inflation unexpectedly ticked up at the end of last year, with prices rising by 4% in december — up from 3.9% the month before. it surprised many forecasters who had predicted that the downward

trend of recent months would continue. ..particularly as high energy prices have fallen. asjulianjessop explained to me earlier. the numbers were disappointing. most people, myself included, expected inflation to fall further. it is certainly not a disaster. it is a small miss on just one month's data. the bigger picture is that inflation is still a lot lower than the bank of england had been expecting. it is still likely to keep falling. there is a very good chance that inflation is back to the bank of england's 2% target by april of this year which would be more than a year earlier than forecasting. i think that will clear the way. for rate cuts in spring or summer. that said, disappointing numbers do have an impact now. the markets are less confident interest rates will fall, that has already had an impact on borrowing costs and financial markets generally. it is definitely a bad news day. how would you compare the uk's reining in of inflation? compared with other major economies.

you said you expected it to be back down to 2% in april, quite an achievement, but it seems to be moving more slowly here than elsewhere. the difference isn't massive and a lot of it is about timing. if you take food price inflation, that has been higher and slower to fall in the uk over the past year. then it was slower to rise in the first place. if you look at what happened to food prices since 2019, they have risen pretty much the same in the uk as the rest of europe. i also think that timing of what is happening to energy prices is important. we have a slower pass through of falls in energy prices in the uk, partly because of the way regulated energy prices are set. there is likely to be a big fall in those prices in april of this year which should be enough to take inflation by below 2%.

ironically, at the same time, other countries' inflation might be rising a little bit. we have been lagging in getting inflation down over the last four years but i think we will catch up and may be do better this year. faisal islam. the main issue at the world economic forum, for zelensky human person, ukrainian president, talking to wall street financiers trying to persuade them to invest in ukrainian reconstruction.—

using russian frozen assets for funds. the western central bankers are a little more sceptical about the precedent that might be set in what is supposed to be cast—iron safe haven assets bought by whatever country in the world if they are suddenly used in a war. president zelensky telling me that they have $300 billion in frozen russian assets, and they should be used because essentially western taxpayers should not be relied on when those monies are available. i understand that european central banks are a little nervous about the scheme because they want to make sure deposits are deals with them have the cast iron safe haven basis

and there is also a potential legal challenge. but president first very keen to push the idea that spending these frozen russian assets is the way forward to fund ukraine double reconstruction, by the tens and billions of dollars. to the us now where its good news for the tech goliath apple in the battle for what phone is in your pocket. as the latest figures show apple has overtaken samsung as the world's biggest maker of smartphones. michelle fleuryjoins us now from new york. this us now from new york. will surprise many people because this will surprise many people because in some parts of the world the iphone is pretty ubiquitous, tell us what has happened to help apple steal this position in the world league. this apple steal this position in the world league.— apple steal this position in the world leaue. , ., ., world league. this has been a long time in the — world league. this has been a long time in the making, _ world league. this has been a long time in the making, 12 _ world league. this has been a long time in the making, 12 years - world league. this has been a long i time in the making, 12 years samsung has dominated the top position when it comes to the sheer number of phones it has sold around the world. in part that can be explained

certainly if you look at apple why it has taken so long for it to ascend these dizzy heights. it was considered a premium product. it has always led in terms of the amount of revenue it generates, profit, sheer number of handsets in peoples hands was always slightly lower because it was always slightly lower because it was so expensive. but now it seems a growing portion of the market around the world is prepared to spend more for these products. the thing with apple, they have seen a huge amount of consumer loyalty that, once people have those phones, they tend to stick with the brand. that seems to stick with the brand. that seems to be what is paying off. at the other end of the spectrum it is worth pointing out the lower end of the market, android operating system phones, you have huawei in china and other brands around the world where samsung faces competition there. pressure from the top and bottom has led to this change today we are

talking about.— led to this change today we are talking about. first back in new york, talking about. first back in new york. thank— talking about. first back in new york, thank you. _ talking about. first back in new york, thank you. that - talking about. first back in new york, thank you. that is - talking about. first back in new york, thank you. that is your i york, thank you. that is your business update, around the world and across the uk this is bbc news. it took an hour before he was six another two hours before ct scan... he wasn't operated on time and date more than 5.5 hours after being admitted. ., , more than 5.5 hours after being admitted. . , ., , ., ., admitted. unable to sit down, on the floor screaming, _ admitted. unable to sit down, on the floor screaming, rolling _ admitted. unable to sit down, on the floor screaming, rolling around - admitted. unable to sit down, on the

floor screaming, rolling around in - floor screaming, rolling around in pain, we wasn't getting answered, they were ignoring us. you are alive with bbc news. some of the uk's best known children's authors are urging the government to invest in early years reading and to give more support to struggling families — after research showed not enough children from low—income families are reading — or being read to at home. the survey — by literacy charity the book trust — shows that fewer than half of children under seven are read a bedtime story, and a fifth of under—fives have a book read to them less than once a month. the charity's president and former children's laureate sir michael morpurgo, says learning to read in the formative years is crucial: with me is author and poet michael rosen. he was a children's laureate from 2007 to 2009.

you have tried to inspire a love of reading among children, how challenging is it? it is reading among children, how challenging is it?— challenging is it? it is not challenging _ challenging is it? it is not challenging when - challenging is it? it is not challenging when you - challenging is it? it is not challenging when you are| challenging is it? it is not - challenging when you are doing it face—to—face, they cannot have enough of it, if we bake books exciting and fun they want more and more and that gives them access to learning. —— if we make books exciting. what you are doing in the moment of fun makes it easier for a child to access what we give them in schools. it child to access what we give them in schools. , ., , , , , schools. it is not surprising news to anyone _ schools. it is not surprising news to anyone that — schools. it is not surprising news to anyone that reading _ schools. it is not surprising news to anyone that reading is - schools. it is not surprising news i to anyone that reading is important for children but how do you think we translate that into ensuring they are being read to by theirfamilies? this is what the research has shown? it is a challenge, it has to go on at all levels of society, something we are encouraging schools to do, to encourage parents to read to the children, has to go on with preschool parents, provision, whether that is social workers, care workers of one sort or another. there has to also be a powerful

input from government saying how important it is, they cannotjust say leave it to them. and we are seeing a decline in libraries in this country, which is a tragedy. we really need to invest some money in children and provision of books for children and provision of books for children in particular. the department _ children in particular. the department for— children in particular. the department for education has said that its reforms, including £67 billion english hops programme, is helping to ensure more children leave primary school with a grasp of reading. what more do you think specifically could be done to get at that stage where children are being read to by their families that stage where children are being read to by theirfamilies regularly? the giveaway in that sentence is a grasp of reading. the problem is, they haven't grasped what it is we are talking about, we are talking about pleasure, a child motivated to read, not can read but wants to read and does read. that needs a whole different mindset and government keep saying it in terms of reading fluency as if that is the only thing that matters. reading gives you an

adventure, empathy, a sense of how the language works. and you get that from if you like learning the sound of it, even ifjust repeating as a two, 30, if reading where where the wild things are and they say one mischief or another with terrible eyes, terrible claws, repeating those phrases, they are getting meeting and making an intellectual jump meeting and making an intellectual jump from picture to speech, speech to picture. when we talk the words of a book and they have the picture next to it, those are not really illustrations, they are telling a different story, the child's mind has to interpret that, that act of interpreting is incredibly if you like, it gives the child a fantastic platform to enable them to access thinking and learning. just platform to enable them to access thinking and learning.— thinking and learning. just briefly, what not thinking and learning. just briefly, what got you _ thinking and learning. just briefly, what got you excited _ thinking and learning. just briefly, what got you excited about - thinking and learning. just briefly, | what got you excited about reading when you were young? i what got you excited about reading when you were young?— what got you excited about reading when you were young? i think it was robabl when you were young? i think it was probably tied _ when you were young? i think it was probably tied to _ when you were young? i think it was probably tied to my _ when you were young? i think it was

probably tied to my old _ when you were young? i think it was probably tied to my old lob - when you were young? i think it was probably tied to my old lob and - probably tied to my old lob and beatrice porter, and when squirrel nutkin, the al put his cause on the tail. i thought oh, no. nutkin, the al put his cause on the tail. ithought oh, no. michael rosen. some children with leukaemia are benefitting from a new drug which makes their treatment much less aggressive. as well as being gentler on the body than chemotherapy, the medication can be administered at home — meaning children spend far less time in hospital. our health reporter michelle roberts has the story. life's getting back to normal for 11—year—old arthur. he's been clear of cancer for almost a year now. he was one of the first children in the uk to try out a new type of cancer drug. blinatumomab, or blina, can replace big chunks of aggressive chemotherapy. the news came that actually there was still some residual cancer, so that particular chemo phase had not worked as expected. for arthur, blina was then

the only real option to tackle his blood cancer. you can see the picc line that goes into his pyjamas and actually there on the right hand side, the pump that was separately at that point, or not yet in the backpack so everything could be... all of the kit can be carried in a small bag. although he had to wear it day and night, it gave him back his freedom. doctors say it's a much kinder alternative. hello, arthur. come on in. hello. - and could be a game changerfor kids with b—cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia who struggle on chemo. chemotherapy are poisons that kill l the leukaemic cells, but also killl and damage normal cells. and that is what causes their side effects. - blinatumomab is a gentler, . kinder treatment that doesn't have the same side effects -

as chemotherapy, but can cure just as many patients as chemotherapy. that bead represents chemo. it's been a long, toughjourney for the whole family, made somewhat easier by blina. it made it feel like a lot freer. it also freed up some of mum and dad's time and they could finally do work again. instead of having to go to hospital with me. new year was when we found out that the blina had worked and that there was no residual cancer. and so that was just amazing. and so we had double celebrations there. blina's already used in adults, but it's not yet widely available on the nhs for children. given its promise as a kinder, gentler treatment, arthur's medical team hope it could be in the future. michelle roberts, bbc news.

a medical expert said earlier that was a _ a medical expert said earlier that was a step— a medical expert said earlier that was a step change in the treatment of cancer, — was a step change in the treatment of cancer, so great news. a bbc news podcast is back for a second season — talking about all the latest trends and the biggest stories of the week. reliable sauce is available on bbc sounds and its hosts — jonelle awomoyi and kirsty grant join me in the studio now. this week they'll be focusing on the stanley cup craze. let's take a listen. all this unnecessary spending is out for me but for many others the thirst is real, especially for the stanley cups, people are eating those up, people love these and it is not the first time people have been obsessed with these emotional support water bottles. the love

island water bottle, the chilli cup, now it is the stanley cup. i have no idea what is going on. sojonelle and kirsty, what are people doing to get this cup? what's so special about this cup? tick—tock users have been filming themselves camping out —— tiktok. someone stealing a box of limited edition stanley cups. people falling down as they are running into shops to make sure they get one of these cups. to make sure they get one of these cu | s. ,, ., , to make sure they get one of these cu s, ,, ., , , , to make sure they get one of these cus. , , , ., cups. sounds very intense and extreme- _ cups. sounds very intense and extreme. where _ cups. sounds very intense and extreme. where did _ cups. sounds very intense and extreme. where did this - cups. sounds very intense and extreme. where did this all i cups. sounds very intense and i extreme. where did this all come about? . , ., ., about? the cup went viral on tick-tack. — about? the cup went viral on tick-tock, people _ about? the cup went viral on tick-tock, people on - about? the cup went viral on tick-tock, people on boxingl about? the cup went viral on - tick-tock, people on boxing them, tick—tock, people on boxing them, showing _ tick—tock, people on boxing them, showing what they had, different attachments and things, it is able

to be _ attachments and things, it is able to be shared, here is what i have done _ to be shared, here is what i have done to— to be shared, here is what i have done to mine, customised it. 7.2 billion_ done to mine, customised it. 7.2 billion views, the hashtag on tiktok, — billion views, the hashtag on tiktok, the more you see something on your— tiktok, the more you see something on your tiktok feed, you think you have _ on your tiktok feed, you think you have to _ on your tiktok feed, you think you have to camp outside to get one of these _ have to camp outside to get one of these. it— have to camp outside to get one of these. , "1; . have to camp outside to get one of these. , " ., ., have to camp outside to get one of these. , ., ., , these. it is, 1913, an old company, stanle . these. it is, 1913, an old company, stanley. hundred _ these. it is, 1913, an old company, stanley. hundred and _ these. it is, 1913, an old company, stanley. hundred and tenth - stanley. hundred and tenth anniversary. it started in november. a user called danielle, her car went on fire, after the fire was out and no one was hurt she went in and her stanley cup was in her car, she shook it and said, oh, the ice is still in there. she made a tiktok video about it. the president of stanley, terence riley, made a video back and said, honestly, we are going to send you some stanley

goodies and replace your vehicle. she got a brand—new car, her and her partner had personalised caps, decrease kind of started off from there, people were like i want a cup that lasts a fire too. it is not perfect. apparently, some crazes have said it leaks when it falls over —— some creators. we spoke to stanley about that too. trio over -- some creators. we spoke to stanley about that too.— stanley about that too. no one is makin: stanley about that too. no one is making videos — stanley about that too. no one is making videos about _ stanley about that too. no one is making videos about the - stanley about that too. no one is making videos about the cups - making videos about the cups leaking? making videos about the cups leakin: ? , ., ,, ., , making videos about the cups leakinu? , ., ,, ., , ., ., leaking? they are. stanley are not, the were leaking? they are. stanley are not, they were happy _ leaking? they are. stanley are not, they were happy about _ leaking? they are. stanley are not, they were happy about the - leaking? they are. stanley are not, they were happy about the fire - leaking? they are. stanley are not, they were happy about the fire and | they were happy about the fire and they were happy about the fire and the survival but some people have said it _ the survival but some people have said it leaks and spills but stanley told us _ said it leaks and spills but stanley told us it — said it leaks and spills but stanley told us it is not supposed to be leak—proof and it is not perfect. tiktok — leak—proof and it is not perfect. tiktok has _ leak—proof and it is not perfect. tiktok has influenced people to buy the product, good news for the business, equally it can be the other way as well, can't it? hz�*iraii other way as well, can't it? viral has used this _ other way as well, can't it? viral has used this as _ other way as well, can't it? viral has used this as an _

other way as well, can't it? n)” ai has used this as an opportunity to get the product out there, some videos of craters with a stanley cup showing it is leaking and showing another product by a rival company termed as dupes, a knock—off brand, slightly more affordable and easier to get your hands on than the more popular cup, that is another way. looking at the rate of your podcast series, why is it called reliable source. —— reliable sauce. brute series, why is it called reliable source. -- reliable sauce. we both 'ealous source. -- reliable sauce. we both jealous the — source. -- reliable sauce. we both jealous the bbc _ source. -- reliable sauce. we both jealous the bbc newsroom, - source. -- reliable sauce. we both jealous the bbc newsroom, it - source. -- reliable sauce. we both jealous the bbc newsroom, it is i jealous the bbc newsroom, it is third _ jealous the bbc newsroom, it is third like — jealous the bbc newsroom, it is third like you put on your chips, catch— third like you put on your chips, catch up. — third like you put on your chips, catch up. it _ third like you put on your chips, catch up, it is fun, we try not to be too — catch up, it is fun, we try not to be too traditional, we run straight from _ be too traditional, we run straight from the — be too traditional, we run straight from the heart of the newsroom and we are _ from the heart of the newsroom and we are reliable. we

from the heart of the newsroom and we are reliable.— we are reliable. we have lots of trends coming _ we are reliable. we have lots of trends coming up, _ we are reliable. we have lots of trends coming up, big - we are reliable. we have lots of trends coming up, big things, l we are reliable. we have lots of. trends coming up, big things, the whole bizarre, fascinating, interesting news, i don't want to give too much away. we interesting news, i don't want to give too much away.— interesting news, i don't want to give too much away. we have gypsy rose blanchard _ give too much away. we have gypsy rose blanchard who _ give too much away. we have gypsy rose blanchard who was _ give too much away. we have gypsy rose blanchard who was recently i give too much away. we have gypsy rose blanchard who was recently in| rose blanchard who was recently in prison _ rose blanchard who was recently in prison this — rose blanchard who was recently in prison this week. edits on saucetiktok have change the narrative. . ~' , ., saucetiktok have change the narrative. thank you, jonelle awomoyi _ narrative. thank you, jonelle awomoyi and _ narrative. thank you, jonelle awomoyi and kirsty. - although much of the country today and tomorrow will continue to see a lot of dry, sunny and cold weather, we have some concerns for the snow showers piling into the north of the country. particularly northern scotland and into the northern isles where we have a amber warning in force. we have an amber warning in force. this system across france won't pose any issues for southern britain. it will bring an area of thicker cloud. it is the snow showers in the north which we have concerns about and an amber warning here issued for an extra 5—10 centimetres of snow falling on already deep snow. we could see 15—20 centimetres extra so over the high ground. ice will continue to be an issue here throughout the day. further south, best of the sunshine,

and a very cold day, particularly across the northern half of the uk. this evening and overnight, we lose the cloud and wintry showers from the far south—east. it is cold, dry and clear for most. wintry showers around coastal areas, giving an ice risk and those snow showers continuing to pile into the northern isles and into central and northern ireland. a cold night to come wherever you are, it could be down to —14, —15 in central scotland. a cold, frosty and icy start to thursday. bright with plenty of sunshine. snow showers draped around coastal areas, could see a dusting across eastern coastal counties, newcastle down to norwich. the same for northern ireland and northern and western wales. the heaviest of the snow showers across northern scotland and the northern isles. another very cold day to come. subtle changes into friday. we lose the arctic northerly, high pressure builds in and westerly winds come in. a slightly less cold

the day on friday. quite a lot of sunshine around thanks to high pressure. snow showers will come in thick and fast across the north and west of scotland with longer spells of snow adding to the snow depth there. elsewhere, temperatures coming up a little bit, four to six celsius. that is the theme for things to come into the weekend. into the weekend, big changes. we start to pick up atlantic low pressure systems, strong to gale force, even severe gale force south—westerly winds and pulses of rain. rising temperature with heavy rain and snow melt could lead to localised flooding. certainly turning a lot milder this weekend.

live from london. this is bbc news. the princess of wales is recovering following abdominal surgery. kensington palace says the operation was a success, and she will remain in hospital for up to a fortnight. and in the past hour buckingham palace has announced king charles will visit hospital next week to be treated for an enlarged prostate. and rishi sunakfaces a crucial vote on his plan to deport asylum seekers to rwanda — after two deputy chairmen from his own party resign over the issue. at the world economic forum in dallas, iran's foreign minister says houthi

attacks in the red sea — will only stop when the war in gaza ends. and lincolnshire county council has begun a review after a two—year old boy and his father were found dead at a property in skegness. hello, welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. the princess of wales has had planned abdominal surgery, and will be in hospitalfor up to a fortnight. kensington palace says the procedure was successful, and took place at the london clinic, a private hospital in central london. the princess is unlikely to return to public duties until after easter. the prince of wales will not undertake official duties while his wife is in hospital, or in the immediate period following her return home. and within the past hour, buckingham palace has said that king charles will go into hospital next week, to be treated for an enlarged prostate. the palace added that the king's condition is "benign", and he'll have what's described

as a "corrective procedure". his public engagements will be postponed immediately,